Anna Mckay shares a recipe perfect for celebrating Chinese New Year
Ding Huang demonstrates the art of paper cutting
A group of York students has won the opportunity to have their very own I-phone application developed after winning The App Challenge final, held at the Ron Cooke Hub on Wednesday, January 18.
Laura Reynolds looks at the habits of exam-weary students
Whilst I thorougly enjoyed the final and sat on the edge of the sofa, fervently rooting for my favourite contestant to win, it was actually the initial rounds of judging I found most engaging. The best food might not be found in the initial stages, but the worst definitely is. This year's competition saw several confused and downright bizarre dishes. If you think you're a hapless cook, these contestants would probably win an inept chef competition, if ever such a thing existed.
There were several laughable contestants on this year's show, so lacking in talent you have to wonder how they even got through to the first round. Whilst there's nothing wrong with being experimental, certain food combinations simply do not, and never will, sit well with each other. Heston Blumenthal's famed bacon and ice-cream dessert may win praise from the critics, but one contestant on Masterchef, attempting to combine the sweet and savoury, dared to create a chorizo and peaches tart. Sadly her conconction was a disaster. With the judges repelled by the bizarre dish, she was promptly relegated to the Masterchef Hall of Shame.
Another contestant mistook the pale yellow colour of butter for cheese, and haphazardly sprinkled the stuff all over his potatoes, all whilst claiming to be a 'healthy eating enthusiast'. This was an innocent mistake, albeit a hilarious one which might have been excused had his overall dish been full of vibrant flavour and creative in its presentation. Sadly, his plate could only be described as distinctly unoriginal. It emerged he had spent the whole allotted hour boiling some potatoes and carrots, and planned to finish the entire dish off with a generous covering of cheddar cheese. They say a good cook always tastes his food before he serves it, but in this case the hapless contestant was beyond help. His fate was sealed when he left a half-eaten carrot on the plate, complete with jagged bite-mark right down the middle. I doubt consuming such a meal could be healthy - both physically and mentally - for anyone daring to take a bite.
Oh, and let's not forget all the attempts made at 'fusion' cooking - I watched in horror as all manner of items were tossed, quite literally, together to impress the judges. Chips and teriyaki sauce? Pork and coconut? Lamb, watermelon and fried bread? What were these people thinking? Whilst these contestants never made it to the next round, their infamous dishes will probably remain in my memory long after my thoughts of the final round grow hazy.
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